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Their community in ashes, the Palisades Symphony finds solace in music

BBG News

As I opened the message and beheld the fiery and smoky vistas of the Palisades blaze creeping down from the hills, I realized that cancelling today’s rehearsal was non-negotiable.

She resided safely within Mid-City, yet the images originated from the secretary of Palisades Lutheran Church, who was in the process of evacuation. Traffic was congested, and the wind was fierce.

Hanna, the head of the Palisades Symphony Orchestra, urged members in an email to prioritize safety and send positive thoughts to their friends who are facing a terrible catastrophe.

They intended to convene that evening at the church on Sunset Boulevard, marking the beginning of their rehearsals for the new year. For nearly six decades, this all-volunteer orchestra, along with the Brentwood Palisades Chorale, had been providing the community with an annual series of programs. Their initial performance of 2025 was rapidly approaching.

Remarkably both extraordinary and motivating, the orchestra expanded from a modest adult learning initiative at the local high school into a cherished establishment, all thanks to the dedication of its founders, Joel Lish and Eva Holberg. Tragically, Lish passed away in 2024, followed by Holberg two years prior; however, the symphony continued to perform.

However, its once bright future had since been shrouded in darkness, as the flickering embers intensified into blazing flames that swept through communities, reaching the sea. The melodies they cherished ceased to play.

The following day, Hannah, a member of the orchestra playing the bass, forwarded another message. Although Palisades Lutheran Church had miraculously survived, its community and the houses of its members lay in ruins.

Because of the destruction,” she mentioned, “I’m quite uncertain about practicing. It might take some time before we can access the Palisades again.

The scope of the disaster grew clear as the orchestra began to reconnect.

Helen Bendix, our first violinist, informed Maxim Kuzin briefly in an email that they had unfortunately lost their home.

Among the sixteen musicians in the symphony and choir, Bendix was one of those who suffered the loss of their homes. During that fateful week, both the Palisades and Eaton firestorms reduced over 16,000 buildings to ashes, and at least 29 lives were tragically claimed.

In the aftermath of such a tragedy, the musicians wondered how — even if — they could continue.

In the early hours of the fire, Bendix hastily picked up her violins and violas, and with her husband, made a beeline for their car. The precious instruments represented a cherished link to her mother, who played the cello and passed away in 2020. At 72 years old, Bendix was determined not to let go of that connection.

The urge was almost instinctual, something she had rarely felt before, despite her belief that their home would be secure. What remained behind were a painting of her grandmother, family photos, jewelry, clothing, and the necessary items of daily life – reading glasses for music, tax documents, medication, passports, car keys, and so on.

7 miles to the west, just beyond where the Palisades fire ignited in Temescal Canyon, Ingemar Hulthage left his violin behind as the fire spread. Alongside him, Melinda Singer, his partner, secured their cats in a cage, placed them in the car, and departed from their dead-end street home west of Topanga, praying they would be able to return.

He also didn’t expect the fire to spread as extensively as it did. In 1993, the Malibu fire destroyed his home, including his cherished Fagnola violin. However, he returned after the disaster and rebuilt, implementing a sprinkler system and buying another violin.

Under the kindness of a friend in Van Nuys, Hulthage dreaded history’s recurrence. However, a neighbor’s video from the following day verified his misfortune – there was no water supply for the sprinklers.

Similar to numerous families in Los Angeles, Hulthage and Bendix found themselves grappling with immense losses, their lives turned upside down. They quickly began calculating their damages and seeking a new residence where they could find some semblance of security and normalcy.

As Maxim Kuzin started getting emails from orchestra members querying about the resumption of practices, he found himself unsure of his response. Having only been part of the orchestra for a short while, he’d always appreciated the determination of its musicians.

Living in Gardena offered him distance from the destruction, yet he understood how unsettling it is to experience loss. He moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, but he felt like he had never truly departed. When word arrived last year that his childhood home in Kyiv was struck by a missile, he was taken aback.

Perhaps music might offer some solace. He contemplated the concert lineup he’d arranged in December: the Taras Bulba Overture by Mykola Lysenko, a concerto by Edvard Grieg, and César Franck’s Symphony in D Minor. Just as musicians did during the siege of Sarajevo in 1992, bravely playing on the front lines, they too might find strength to defy the universe, confronting the powers of disorder and destruction.

Acknowledging the soothing and healing properties of music, we’ve chosen to restart our rehearsals starting from next Tuesday, January 14th,” was the message he sent to the orchestra in an email.

As soon as Bendix came across these words, a sense of tranquility washed over her. Progress often necessitates not dwelling on the past.

“We need to get together,” she replied, hoping she wasn’t too rusty.

Unsure if he could still perform, Hulthage pondered his predicament as he no longer had his violin; it’s been nearly a quarter of a century since he joined the orchestra, where he found comfort amidst fellow musicians, despite considering himself an amateur second violinist.

Hanna knew she could help.

Amongst other musicians, quite a few had secured their musical instruments. A pal, skilled on the bass guitar and possessing several electric bass models – having unfortunately lost his residence – even cracked a joke about it. “I’ve got more bass guitars in this hotel room than I do underwear,” he quipped.

Skilled at mending stringed instruments like a luthier, Hanna had a violin she could offer to Hulthage. On January 14, when the orchestra convened for rehearsal in a small gathering room of a senior living facility in Westwood, she presented it to him. He was deeply moved by this gesture.

“This was the most normal I’ve felt since the fire,” he said.

Now they had a month to get ready.

Four weeks after, on the day of the concert, Hulthage bought a tuxedo but hadn’t changed it yet while assisting in arranging chairs for the strings within Westwood United Methodist Church. Despite their performance area at Pacific Palisades Lutheran church remaining undamaged, there were months of cleaning soot and eliminating the lingering smoke odor to be done.

During practice sessions, guest artist Alexander Wasserman honed the Grieg concerto, producing chords that echoed like peals of thunder from the elegant black-lacquered Shigeru Kawai grand piano, generously provided for this performance.

Two individuals hoisted three massive timpani drums up the stairs towards the area in front of the altar, while another placed a harp within the choir section. In the entranceway, Katie Rudner prepared programs for incoming visitors, distributed envelopes for donations (including checks and Venmo transactions), and facilitated contributions. These funds would be saved to aid the musicians and local community members.

At seven in the evening, Bendix arrived, donned in a shimmering black ensemble comprising of a skirt, jacket, scarf, and earrings, gifts from her children following the fire. She settled into her seat located in the second row and started tuning up her violin, an instrument that had been handed down to her by her mother 25 years prior.

Cousin, adorned in a hand-embroidered Ukrainian blouse, warmly greeted acquaintances and well-wishers. Over 200 guests gradually entered the chapel, and at 7:30, Hanna took to the stage, expressing her thanks for the church’s use and acknowledging those who had contributed towards making the event successful. Afterwards, she descended and made her way to where her bass was located.

Kuzin lifted his baton.

Beginning with a pair of rising tones, followed by additional sets of two, the orchestra initiated Lysenko’s heroic overture. Gradually, its melodious majesty unfolded as the strings and horns amassed power, eventually building to a thunderous climax.

After the applause subsided, Kuzin paused before speaking to the crowd. The little-heard composition by the Ukrainian musician had filled the conductor with a sense of accomplishment.

He expressed his belief that Ukrainians are unlikely to lose their war because they have such a rich musical heritage, before warmly welcoming Wasserman, who provided an emotional and beautiful rendition of the Grieg concerto.

Following the break, Kuzin asked the audience for their financial aid, briefly discussing the fire’s impact and those who tragically lost all they had.

He expressed his hope that some of us might grasp the notion that we currently inhabit a distinct world compared to what everyone experienced during this specific time frame. His intention was to foster a sense of community through shared music and emotional connection, so that after this unfortunate incident, there may eventually emerge a sense of meaning for those who have been affected.

In a poignant manner, the D-minor key in Franck’s symphony created an atmosphere of solemnity. The violins strove to elevate the melody above the more ominous, profound tones, and as the notes unfolded, they evoked recollections of the fire, the wind howling, the scent of smoke, and the intense heat. The swells in volume (crescendos) surged like a powerful wave, resonating not only with the musicians but also with the audience.

In this second part, there was a moment of calmness that began with the gentle tones of the harp and stringed instruments. A mournful, yet uncomplicated tune emerged from the English horn, seeming to call back to distant memories of a bygone era barely remembered.

In the third part, there was a revival or renewal. Through harmonious interplay, the performers expressed an optimistic sensation that perhaps someday they could revisit the houses they’d left behind and the community that had welcomed them around six decades earlier.

The crowd applauded and cheered, while Kuzin wiped his forehead. In response, Hulthage, Bendix, Hanna, and the rest of the orchestra rose and bowed.

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2025-02-22 14:31

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